


I Heard I'm Bad For You

by Just_a_transboy_writing



Category: OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cheating, Crying, Destruction, Dismemberment, Explosions, F/F, F/M, Fights, Fist Fights, Fluff, Gay Robots, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Blood, Platonic Cuddling, Secret Relationship, Trans Male Character, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:42:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24530074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_a_transboy_writing/pseuds/Just_a_transboy_writing
Summary: Radicles first relationship with a real hero turned bitter fast. He didn't expect to be cheated on in his own van and he didn't even think that he would fall in love with another bad guy after it all came down. But it wasn't just a bad guy this time, it's abadguy.
Relationships: Carol/Eugene "Gar" Garcia, Enid/Red Action (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes), Lord Boxman/Professor Venomous (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes), Radicles/Raymond (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	1. Real Heros Don't Cheat

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic on here and I'm sorry if there are any mistakes.

Radicles pressed his face into the table top as he began trying to plan for his date later that day with his boyfriend. A small bubble of uncertainty rose in his throat since after dating him for nearly five months he still had now idea what he would actually like. "So how was your date last week Rad? Was Sunspot just as amazing as his pow card said? Is he really a level five? How did he become a hero?" The blue alien froze up at the questions before letting out a deep chuckle before he ruffled K.O's hair. 

"It went fine squirt! He is a pretty great hero after all so it couldn't ever go bad even if Lord Buttman attacked the diner with all of his robots!" He couldn't help but lie to his innocent face since it didn't go as well as he planned since they had fought nearly all night after they had left the restaurant. He let out a nervous chuckle before he stretched, feeling his muscles involuntarily flex, before he watched the clock on the counter top flash 11:30 signaling that it was time for his lunch break. 

"See you later Homie! Sunny and I planned on having lunch together in my van! Just wake up Enid in the break room if anyone comes in!" They had planned to more so talk about their relationship then actually eat lunch together since the blue alien had noticed a strain when they talked. He forced out a mock cherry voice as he floated himself over the counter and near the young boy. 

"Does that mean you gave him the spare key to your van?!" His foot had just barely made it out the automatic door before he gave the brunette a carefree smile at his last question.

"Of course! We are dating after all!" Once his back was turned to K.O he finally walked out of the Bodega. With shaking hands he wiped his face as he made the slow trek towards his van that was parked on to one of the many grassy areas that surrounded the plaza. With each person he passed he puffed out his chest in false confidence before allowing it drop once he saw that no one was paying any attention to him.

Once he finally made it towards his van he pressed his forehead against the warm metal to steady himself. A sharp breath left his lips as he crinkled his paper bag lunch in his hands before he heard a low moan of a woman. He quickly shot up from his slouch before his eyes darted around to see if he could spot anyone nearby. As another groan filled the air he couldn't help as a horrified look stretched across his face since it came from his van. Without even flinching he slammed the rear door open to see if his ears were tricking him or not. 

A choked gasp left his throat as he stared down at his boyfriend who was on top of another superhero as tears threatened to drip down his cheeks. "Sunspot!" He couldn't help the rage that left his lips before he lifted up the naked superhero with his levitation beam and out of his van. "How long has this been going on! Don't you lie to me! Who is she!" He snapped at the pale skinned man before lowering him down.

"Three weeks! Her name is Charmer!" Sunspot gasped out slowly as his red protective plating slowly grew up around his neck in an attempt to stop his fall if he were to be dropped by the X-Tian. "I was going to break it off with her today! I swear! I still love you! I would never do this on purpose babe!" He lied through his teeth before the blue young man levitated the young woman out of the van. "Just put us down! She is better than you anyway so just drop us now!" The anger lifted his lips into a snarl before he felt himself being held over the plaza. "Not here! Don't put us here! It will ruin my reputation!" With shaking hands he slowly dropped them into the plaza, making sure that they weren't hurt but that they weren't fully clothed either. He would have laughed at their embarrassment if he didn't feel his heart shatter in his chest.

As Radicles watched them scramble and find a place to hide their shame he quickly picked up the spare key from the grass before gently shutting his door. "Sorry girl! I guess I need to reupholster you with my next paycheck..." He tried his best to crack a small joke to make himself better but tears dripped down his blue cheeks which exposed the dark blue freckles that covered his face. He hiccuped quietly before he practically sprinted back over to the bodega. Almost glad that everyone was filming and laughing at the two superheros that tried to cover themselves up, along with the fact that most of the younger kids were gone for the evening. Once he was inside of the familiar shop he couldn't help but hang his head as the tears ran down his cheeks in gushes.

"Rad what were you thinking! K.O could have seen that you useless dweeb! You're so glad that he was on the other side of the store and away from the front windows when you did that!" Enid snapped at him as she attempted to cover up the young boy's eyes from the people outside. She turned toward the alien quickly before his eyes and her voice softened as she saw the tears streaking down his cheeks. She nervously bite the inside of cheek as K.O let out a surprise gasp at his tears, not paying attention to the clamor going on outside. "Rad what happened?...Did you and sunspot break up?" Her voice was soft and once she saw that her close friend was in fact crying she wrapped a kind and loving arm around his shoulder before leading him into the break room along with K.O who was equally worried about him. 

Radicles sat down in one of the uncomfortable metal chairs once they were safe in the break room before he buried his face into his hands as he broke down with a quiet pained sob. "Sunspot is a jerk! He cheated on me in my own van! She's ruined! I have to get new seating because of him!" 

Horrified looks were soon shared between Enid and K.O before the younger quickly hugged him as the purple haired girl gently rubbed his back as he let out a rare heartbreaking cry. A shaky breath left his lips before he let out another sob once he felt the young boy's warm arms leave his waist. 

"I'm going to get my mom and Mr. Gar. They can deal with him! I know my mommy can deal with any bad guy if they are a hero!" K.O spoke to him determinedly before practically rushing out of the room before Enid could stop him. A weak smile quickly appeared on the alien's blue cheeks before it disappeared as quickly as it came before another sob left his throat. 

Enid sighed softly before giving him a tight hug as she let her oldest friend cry into her to ease his pain. A few minutes had passed she heard the break room door open up before she stared up at her boss, still holding on to him tightly. 

"What is going on! Rad, Enid why are there naked people outside!" Mr.Gar's voice raised in anger before he stared down at the bitter scene before him. "Carol I need you in here! Something happened! Enid can watch K.O till the mess outside clears up!" He called out to his girlfriend which triggered her motherly instincts as she stepped into the room.

Enid breathed a soft sigh of relief as she gave him a quick squeeze of his shoulder before busting out of the room to keep some of the browned haired boy's innocence still intact. 

"Rad what happened?" Radicles jumped at the older woman's caring voice before another wave of sobs left his body as Mr. Gar attempted to calm him down with a back rub. He could barely force his sentences out before he finally let it slip in a jumble of words. "I caught Sunspot having sex with a girl in my van! He'd been cheating on me for the past three weeks!" He felt her strong arms wrap around him tightly as she gently shushed him. "He's such an asshole! He was my first and he...he..I hate him so much! I hate him! I hate him!" He felt the blonde woman freeze up his arms at the profanity before he let out another broken sob which snapped her back to reality.

"It's okay kiddo...Do you want me to call your mom and dad?" He nodded at her question before Mr.Gar gently patted his shoulder. 

"I'll pay for the reupholstering for you." The blue alien quickly snapped his head up at the older man before he watched a strained smile grow on his face. He wanted to ask him why he knew what he was planning to do before the answer was given to him. "I know what you're going through. My high school sweat girlfriend did the same thing to me." He gently rubbed his shoulder before offering him a tissue from his pocket. "Grab an ice cream slamwich before you go. You're going to need it kid."

Radicles slowly nodded before he left the break room as he watched Carol call his mom out of the corner of his eye. He walked towards one of the freezers, his eyes drifting to the clock which flashed 1:30, before picking out an ice cream slamwich before he felt K.O quickly hugging him again as tight as he could. "Did they help you?" He nodded at his near silent question before he hugged him back. He turned towards the window with a weak smile as he saw that Sunspot and the crowd were gone before the weak smile grew once he saw his mom outside the door. He was secretly glad that his mother was the only one outside since his dad would sometimes to make him cry harder by accident since he tired to hard to make it better. His legs shook as he moved away from his hug and into her arms as he felt the hot sun try to evaporate the tears on his cheeks. 

Thedosia gently rocked him as they walked towards her car before pressing a loving kiss to his forehead as he helped him into the passage side. "Do you want to talk about it once we get home Ra-Ra?" He crumbled at his childhood nickname with a nod and another wail left him before she finally began driving them home and away from Lakewood Plaza.


	2. Power Surge

Two weeks had passed since Radicles's painful messy break up with his boyfriend and he still was slowly getting over it. He tightened the mop tightly in his hands as he looked out the window to Mr.Gar and K.O's attempt to reupholster his van which made a trembling smile grow on his face as he watched the seat nearly throw the young boy into the air from the spring. A sigh left his lips as he began mopping up melted coffee ice cream that one of the clumsier customers dropped.

"So how are you doing Rad? Do you want to talk about it?" The purple haired girl swallowed thickly as she listened to the silent store, wishing it was filled with either K.O's laughter or even the bragging of the blue alien. Enid called over to him as she dropped her magazine down onto the counter top before giving him a once over.

"I'm fine E! I'm over him and I don't want to talk about him! He isn't worth my time!" Radicles forced out the lie though a fake smile as he stared down at the floor away from her. He dunked the mop head into the dirty bucket as he felt himself become nauseous at the lemony smile. 

"Are you sure? You haven't been floating around the shop when we haven't had work or when we are alone in it." Enid asked him while tilting her head she raised an eyebrow before patting the empty seat next to her. 

The blue alien sighed as he dropped the mop down onto the floor as he watched the dirty water splatter against the floor. "Fine I do need to talk about my feelings..." A half hearted laugh left his lips as he walked over to the ninja before sitting down right next to her. "I just feel so tired today. He tried to call me last night and he begged me to take him back. He said to me ' _Rad please take me back! I didn't mean to cheat on you! It was just a mistake!_ '." He couldn't keep the bitterness and the hate out of his voice as he pressed his forehead down on to the cool countertop. "I hung up on him before he could say anything else though...He then tried calling me again but I ignored him. I wish he would just leave me since he is a mega jerk!" His voice cracked but he tried to cover it up with a cough.

Enid looked around the empty store with a frown before gently patting his shoulder while rubbing small circles into his back. "He's not just a mega jerk. He's a mega asshole." She spoke to him before hearing a quiet laugh live his lips at her insult. "He's even bigger than a mega asshole. He's probably a plant sized one." The quiet laugh soon turned into an echoing once as she joined in his happiness.

"I've also been feeling sick today but I'm sure that's from the entire tub of ice cream I ate last night after the phone call." Radicles couldn't help but nudge her shoulder when she rolled her eyes since she thought he was just exaggerating about home much he really ate. "It's true though! I ate an entire tube of chocolate chip ice cream!"

Their joy was short lived though as the alarms began flashing and blaring which caused a chorus of groans to fill the air since it meant another Boxmore attack. 

Enid was the first stand as she rushed out the door to see who they would be fighting today. The X-Tian soon joined her outside before hearing the metal of the box slam to the ground before revealing Shannon, Darrel, and Raymond as the steel soon fell away from them, exposing their metal bodies to the hot sun. 

"Are you ready to taste defeat you Lakewood losers?" Darrel snarled out to them as he prepared his cannon to fire straight at the two older teens in front of the store. Once the blast was shot out they jumped away from it before K.O finally joined them. 

"K.O you take down Darrel! Enid take down Shannon! And you Rad takedown Raymond!" Radicles nodded at the order that was given to him by Mr.Gar, who was pushing the van away from the fighting; he would only have to fix the inside and not the outside. He watched K.O draw away the red robot's fire before Enid dodged a saw that was aimed towards her face.

The blue alien took a step back as a high powered football crashed into the wall next to him before he dodged a softball that was heading towards his stomach which drilled into the concrete instead of his skin. "Let's see how you handle my new and improved canons little Slugger! I'm sure you won't be able to dodge them again!" He quickly pointed his finger to the green robot before attempting to wrap his levitation power around him. He grunted slightly as he watched the power glow around the robot fizzle out with a spark before he swallowed nervously as he tried it again. 

Raymond couldn't help but allow his smile to grow wider as he took a step closer to the young man. "I guess I don't even have to try and aim today!" A dark chuckle left his lips as he watched the green haired man press himself against the wall before he pinned him against it with his gun pressed into his chest. "Any last words Rad." He knew it would only bruise him or break his rib but he couldn't help but tease him. 

Radicles felt nervous bile rise up in his throat as he tried once again to make his power work before it fizzled out with an electrical snap. He gagged quietly which went unnoticed by the smug robot that was pushing him against the wall before a clawed finger pressed into his stomach which made him gag once again. 

"I think you should lay off..." He didn't allow the robotic teen to finish his sentence as he threw up on his shiny metal feet that made him recoil in shock. "I just got these shined! They are new too! What the hell is your problem!" The blue alien could barely make anything come out of his lips before he suddenly leaned forward on to his knee as he threw up again as thick tears dripped down his cheeks which smudged his make up, making mascara drip down his cheeks.

The green robot's eyes darted around the now battle worn street before he quickly pulled him into a back alleyway that was near the shop. He couldn't help but gag himself even though he couldn't even throw up since he lacked the stomach to do it. A sighed quietly before he began rubbing the dry heaving alien's back before attempting to shush him. "Are you okay?" Raymond looked around awkwardly once he realized that no one else was going to help him. "Let's get you inside." He wrapped his metallic arms around his waist before helping him walk into the bodega. He ignored how gross and how unclean he felt before he eased the blue alien into the chair behind the counter. 

"Bucket!" Radicles gasped out quickly before the cheap plastic trash can that they kept behind the cash register was quickly thrusted into his hands. He gagged into it before feeling an icy cold clawed hand rub circles into his back which made him jolt in surprise. 

"I'm a villain not an uncaring bastard." Raymond cooed at him at his jolt before he pulled away the gentle hand before snatching the brown napkins from the dispenser before stealing an expensive water bottle from the back fridge. He moved the trashcan away from him before wiping the drool and bile from his lips as he offered him a sip of the water, keeping his hands on his chin to angle him upwards. "You're a disastrous mess Radicles." He spoke to him plainly before using one of the napkins to clean up the foundation that mixed with his eye make up. His claws moved slowly as he patted away the tears to make his eyes appear less puffy. "Do you want me to stay with you till your little hero friends stop fighting with my little brother and sister?"

Radicles nodded with a deflated sigh before leaning into his gentle caress. "Thank you Raymond....I owe you one." The blue younger man froze up at his word choice before hiding the fact that the robot had an almost proud smile on his face. His voice cracked loudly as he pressed the stolen water bottle to his lips before he dry heaved into the trash can. Glad that he had nothing else to spit up before up as he panted heavily into the near empty store.

"Just call this a win to your friends and you don't have to owe me anything!" Raymond placed his hand hand to his chest with a flourishing laugh. "Then my daddy will finally say that I did a good job defeating your little friends." He sat down next to him after his lap before pressing his clawed thumb against the alien's cheek. "I didn't know you had freckles. I didn't even see them when we were doing the fashion show." It was an off handed comment but he jumped at the tender touch. "Coach was interested in your little scene you caused yesterday. He couldn't stop watching the little group if heros scramble around in the nude. Why did you do that though? I thought heros were supposed to make good decisions and respect each other." He mimicked K.O at the word hero which earned him a soft snort.

"Like I'm ever going to tell you that." Radicles involuntarily leaned into his touch before his cheeks soon warmed up as he watched the once boutrous robot shyly look away from him. "I'm fine now. You can leave now if you want." He pulled away the touch as quickly as he leaned into it before the automatic doors soon opened as Enid and K.O ran into the shop. 

"Raymondo what are you doing with Rad!" K.O spoke to them before preparing to punch the older robot with his power fist.

Radicles moved in front of him before getting down to his eye level even though it made him feel nauseous. "Homie stop. He just helped me inside after I threw up on him." He watched the burnette and the purple haired girl crinkled their noses in disgust. "He was just leaving." He nudged the robot who quickly stood up to leave them.

"I knew you were going to throw up. You need to lay off the ice cream dweeb." He rolled his eyes at Enid's scolding before quickly standing up which made him quietly gag as he reached for the trash can. He only spat into it which made him glad that he had nothing left inside of him to throw up

"See you later Lakewood losers!" Raymond waved goodbye to them before firing a soccer ball at the younger boy which nailed him right in face.

"We can't just let him get away with that!" Enid shouted at the alien as he made a finger gun motion as he attempted to use his powers before it soon faded as it came on. 

"Rad what's wrong?" K.O spoke to him as he began rubbing the oncoming bruise on his cheeks. He stared up at the older teen as a pained silence filled the air. 

"I don't know...This doesn't normally happen..." Radicles stared down at himself as the silence practically deafened him. "I should ask my mom...I think she should tell me."


	3. Wait And See

"Hey mom. What does it mean when X-Tian powers go away?" Radicles spoke into his phone as soon as she picked up, keeping his back to the break room door since he wanted privacy with his conversation. He swallowed thickly as he prayed that she would have a clear answer and that it didn't mean that he was dying or he was coming down with a bug.

"Well Ra-Ra it could mean you're either stressed or sick. With all the ice cream you've been eating it could just be the later." He breathed a quick sigh of relief at her answer before he rubbed his still aching stomach to hold back any urge to vomit that he had still left inside of him. Before he could even say his thanks she laughed quietly into the phone. "That reminds me of my pregnancy with you. I lost my powers for nearly two weeks before they came back and then they sometimes would just spasm and flicker. I one time threw your father's coffee into the air one time when I tried to pass it to him. He had to clean coffee off the ceiling for nearly two days to make the stain go away. It's still there if you look hard enough."

The blue alien felt his heart stop in his chest before he swallowed down the fear crawling up into his chest. "How likely am I to be pregnant right now? I've been on testosterone for almost three years now so it should be nearly impossible for me to be pregnant." He practically pleaded with her to say that he wasn't pregnant even though he knew that he was wrong. 

"Honey, you know that you could still be pregnant. Testosterone isn't birth control and you could always take a test if you're scared." Theodosia spoke to her son gently as she heard a shaky sigh leave him. "You can take one once you get home. We'll help you with any decision you make if it's positive." The older teen nodded before swallowing down his fears.

"I will mom." Radicles felt his hands shake as he hung up the phone before sneaking out of the breakroom and towards his friends. "She told me I was sick!" He called out to them which made Enid's shoulders relax as he watched K.O breath a sigh of relief. "I know I worried too homies but I'm fine!" He couldn't help but lie out to them as he picked up his mop from the floor as he began mopping up their dust footprints. He passed by the pregnancy tests and as he began moping in front of it he quickly pushed one of the cheaper and smaller ones into his pocket. He whistled out a tune as he heard the purple haired teen laugh.

"Good to see you finally cleaning up the store dweeb. Is it because you're scared that Raymond tracked some of your throw up into the store." Enid smiled down at him before putting her feet on to the countertop as K.O bounced over to him. He couldn't help but laugh at her before the mop was taken away from his hands.

"I'll mop the store for you Rad!" K.O smiled up at him as the blue teen gently ruffled his head as a form of silent praise.

"Thanks K.O! I'm going to go to the bathroom to see if I have to throw up anything else. My mom said that will make me feel better even if I have to force myself to do it." Radicles couldn't stop the lies that were coming out of his mouth but he wanted to keep them in the dark as long as he could. He watched Enid crinkle her nose in disgust before he hurried over to the bathroom. "I'll take out the trash so you don't have to K.O!" He spoke to him quickly as he shut the bathroom door before walking over to the sink. He locked the door quickly to keep anyone from barging in on him before he pulled out the cheap pregnancy test from his pocket before reading the back of it.

"99 percent accuracy. Use it and wait five minutes for the result. 99 percent accuracy. Use and wait five minutes for the result." The blue alien repeated to himself as he attempted to quietly open the plastic bag before throwing it away. He sat down on the toilet before using it as carefully as he could before placing it down on to the sink countertop. He pressed his back to the wall as he pulled up his pants to steady himself.

He slid down the cool concrete wall before sitting down on the surprising clean bathroom floor, secretly making him glad that K.O was on cleaning duty since he would have done a terrible job making it spotless. "One line negative. Two lines positive." He mumbled the words quietly to himself as he set a timer on his watch for five minutes.

His mind began to wander of all the possible choices that he would have to make in his life. He was nearly nineteen and the baby would be a big step in his life. His thoughts drifted toward the possibility of adoption before he quickly shook it from his mind. "I have to man up. I have to be responsible for what I did. I'll be fine." He ordered out to himself before faking a gagging noise once he heard footsteps approaching the bathroom. 

Once the blue alien had forced himself to gag he practically could hear the footsteps speed away from the bathroom and out of the store which made him quietly laugh before he stared down at his watch that showed that he still had nearly three minutes left on his timer which made an near audible groan leave his lips before he tapped it.

Radicles could feel himself age a year for every single that he spent waiting before his watch flashed zero which made himself stand up from the floor. He rubbed his knees to ease the soreness before he picked up the pregnancy test with closed eyes to give him a second to sike himself up mentally and emotionally for it. His eyes opened up slowly before he stared down at the result in his sweating hands. "Positive." He swallowed nervously as he began washing it in the sink before he stared at himself in the mirror. "I can deal with a positive. I can deal with it." His voice quivered before he brought his palm to his stomach. "Everything will be okay." A paper towel quickly wiped the test clean as he hid the wrapper before pocketing the test into his back pocket.

He silently stepped out of the bathroom before walking over to his friends with a false but easygoing smile. "I feel way better homies!" He forced out a false bravado before he stood next to Enid as her eyes darted to the side.

"Glad to see you feeling better nerd." The purple haired girl smiled at him before nudging his side as gently as she could so he didn't throw up on her. "I'm happy that your mom picked it up since I know she is usually at work still. She probably works more than your dad does." He nodded absentmindedly before she poked his cheeks. "You haven't been paying attention to anything that I've been saying have you? What even are you thinking about?" 

Radicles swallowed nervously swallowed at her question before making sure that K.O wasn't paying attention to anything that they were saying. "You know how Sunspot was my first? He left me a little present after our break up." He folded his arms around his chest as he looked her up and down to see her reaction. 

Enid tilted her head at his words before her eyes grew wider as she tried to make her words come out. "Your pregnant!" Her word even tumbled out of her mouth even though she kept her voice to a whisper. "How I thought you couldn't get pregnant on T? I didn't even think you could get pregnant by a human either." She couldn't keep the confusion out of her voice before she looked at his stomach. 

"I still can get pregnant. Testosterone just decreases the chance and stops my periods but it doesn't stop it all from working." Radicles pressed his forehead on the glass counter before nervously swallowing down his fears. "I'm keeping the baby." He heard the older teen girl spit out her water as she stared at him. 

"Are you sure Rad? It's a big step but I'll be there for you." He didn't expect her to say that she would help him but that brought a weight on his shoulder. "And I'm pretty sure O.K's mom can help you out to since she's gone through it herself." He nodded at her comforting words before bringing her into a tight but gentle hug.

"Thanks Enid. My mom said she would help me out but I haven't told her I tested positive. She thinks I'm waiting to go home to take it but I'm too impatient to wait till closing and to drive home." Radicles smiled at her weakly before gently rubbing the back of his neck to ease the tension he felt. "I guess that means I can't fight Boxmore robots anymore? You and K.O have to fight them by yourselves." He let out a small laugh as she groaned at the fact that he wouldn't be helping them fight anymore when they were attacked by the trio of robots. 

"You better keep the store clean then when we fight." Enid rolled her eyes before watching K.O trip over the mop before slamming face first into the floor which made both of the older teens hiss in sympathy. "Do you think your kid is going to be as excitedable as K.O?" She couldn't help but imagine a smaller but happier version of Rad running around the plaza to try and make the world which caused her to snort quietly into her hand.

"I think they will since they are going to spend time with K.O." Radicles joined in her laughter as he watched the sun set in the window as the clock flashed 8:20. "Looks like it's time to go home. K.O it's closing time!" 

When he mentioned that it was closing time he couldn't help but watch the young boy practically bounce off the floor before sprinting out the door toward his mother's dojo.

"I'll see you later Rad!" Enid disappeared in a cloud of smoke as Radicles was left alone in the empty shop before he began locking up. He left the bodega before tossing the keys to Mr.Gar before heading towards his car which barely had a scratch on it from the fight earlier that day. His hands trembled as he sat down in the new dark purple leather seats as he smiled at the fact that it fit his van better than when they were hot purple. He buckled up his seat belt before he began making the long drive home.


	4. A Single Good Moment

Radicles nervously sat down at the dinner table as he fidgeted with the pregnancy test in his back pocket as he watched his mother and father set the table for dinner. It was going to be a later dinner for them all since he had got home around nine but it was now nearly nine forty. He played out what he was going to tell them before he looked at what they were going to be having for dinner before gagging underneath as he stared at the mangos chili chicken that almost seemed like it was staring back at him. "It looks delicious mom." He half heartedly spoke to her as she waited for them both to sit down next to him. "Mom..Dad...I have something to tell you..." The silent pause filled the room as he pulled out the pregnancy test from his pocket before he held it in his lap almost like it would snap in his hands. "I'm pregnant." His voice cracked quietly as his eyes darted back and forth between his mom and dad to see their reaction.

Ofrang just took his son's hand in his own before giving it a gentle and comforting squeeze, rubbing his knuckles with a loving smile. "Are you going to keep the baby? We'll respect any decision you make but I am going to shoot your ex in his smug face." He spoke to him as kindly as he could before pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

"Honey no. We aren't hurting anyone if they did hurt our little boy." Theodosia spoke to her husband with a worried frown before squeezing her son's other hand to comfort him. "We'll support you Ra-Ra with whatever you choose." Her voice was soft and gentle as she watched her son's worries and stress melt underneath their touches.

"I've thought about it and I'm going to keep the baby." Radicles spoke to them carefully as he placed the pregnancy test in front of them. "I know it's going to be a big step for me but I know I should be able to do it with help." He could feel his hands shaking underneath their touch before they mutually squeezed his hands.

"I'm glad we kept your old crib. We just have to give it a new paint job and it will be perfect." Theodosia's voice trembled at the fact that her baby was having his own baby. He couldn't help but smile at his mother's kind words before he brought them both into a tight hug. 

"Now let's eat! You're eating for two after all!" Ofrang let go of his hand before patting his thigh as he took a bite of his chicken. His wife nodded along with him before she began eating her dinner. They were quiet but every few seconds they would smile at their son to see if he would eat his meal. "Eat up, it's your favorite since I knew you would enjoy some comfort food.

Radicles took a smile bite of his chicken before he pushed it away from him as he felt himself quickly become nauseous. "I don't think I can eat this. I can barely handle the smell of it. I usually love it though." He spoke to them weakly as he gently rubbed his stomach to help with the fact that he was trying not to throw up. "I think I'll just have crackers for dinner..." His hands slowly moved away from his stomach before he pushed himself away from the table. He could feel himself shake before he rushed over to the sink before he began vomiting into the sink, as his mother rushed over to rub his back to help ease his suffering.

"It's okay baby. I know you feel bad but you'll feel much better once it's all out." Theodosia gently spoke to before rubbing his lower back. "My morning sickness was bad too but I can't really call it morning sickness since it only happened at night." Her voice tried to comfort him as he spat into the sink as he used the kitchen counter for support. "It will all be okay." Once she was sure that he was done expelling everything from his body before she helped him sit down on one of the bar stools. She placed a ginger ale and a sleeve of crackers in front of him since he still needed to eat something. She gave him a gentle pat to his shoulder as she walked back to the table. "Do you want me to eat with you?"

The younger alien quickly shook his head since he didn't want the food near him after he just been forced to throw it up after only one bite. "I'll be fine mom. Just enjoy your dinner and I'll tell you if I need anything else." Radicles took a small sip of the soda before he took a bite of one of the crackers before forcing himself to swallow down the bland food. He groaned quietly into his hand before he took another drink of the sour soda.

The blue alien slowly pushed the food away from him before he began heading upstairs and into his bedroom. As he shut his bedroom door he began changing out of his dirty shirt before putting his pajamas on. He stared at himself in his full length mirror before turning to his side as he stared at his still flat stomach before lifting up his shirt. His hands drifted over his top surgery scars before it drifted down to his abs. He gently placed his hand down on it before smiling weakly at himself.

Radicles walked into the bathroom before he began brushing his teeth to help erase the horrible taste that had been left in his mouth before. He spat the minty paste out of his mouth before he stared at his face in the mirror. He grabbed one of his makeup wipes as he attempted to remove any of his makeup that was still left on his face before he stared at his pale blue skin in the mirror. He gingerly touched his cheeks as he felt how clammy he had become after dinner. With the same hands he began washing his face while trying to bring himself back to looking normal.

He swallowed thickly as he walked back into his bedroom as he turned off the lights. He laid down onto his bed before staring up at his ceiling as he pulled the blankets around himself tightly. For the first time he could barely sleep as he found himself staring up at nothingness. 

When he finally closed his eyes he quickly opened them up to hear his alarm clock blaring in his ears. He sighed to himself quietly as he forced himself out of bed and out of his room. He stepped into the cold bathroom before he began undressing himself. He turned on the shower to it's coldest setting before he got into it, trying to wake up quickly so he wouldn't fall asleep while driving. He began scrubbing the dirt out of his curly hair before slowly and carefully washing his body, being as careful as he could as he washed his top surgery scars before tracing the small T shape just above them. He shivered once the chill began settling into his bones before he finally got out. He wrapped a towel around his waist before stepping out into the hallway.

He was almost glad that he was forced to wear a uniform everyday to work since he didn't have to worry about what he wore early in the morning. He put on the familiar ripped blue shirt before struggling to pull up his pink jeans that were always too tight. He walked into the bathroom before he attempted to cover up his freckles and the small dark circles under his eyes. He began brushing his teeth while gagging at the mintiness which made his eyes widen. Once he looked perfect in his eyes he walked downstairs and into the empty kitchen

Once he passed by the kitchen bar he stopped to pick up a note next to a sleeve of crackers. "Ra-ra these are supposed to help with your possible morning sickness. Take small bites and grab a water bottle from the fridge." He read the note that was obviously written by his father before he poked them as he grabbed the water from the fridge. He would eat them once he got work so he wouldn't get crumbs on his new seats and to keep himself from working for a couple of minutes. 

The blue alien stepped outside into the warm air which finally seemed to wake him up before he got into the car. He turned on the ignition before he pulled out of his driveway and into the near empty street since it was nearly six am. He kept his eyes focused on the road before finally realizing that he pulled into his familiar parking spot at the plaza. 

He shook his head before he stepped out of the van as he walked towards the store. He waved sleepily to his boss before heading into the breakroom. The older man couldn't help but poke his head through the door with a nod.

"Glad to see you're the first person here today Radicles!" Mr.Gar called to him which earned him a small yawn from the blue alien. "You're finally showing company initiative." He proudly spoke to him before gently patting his shoulder.

Radicles swallowed the crackers slowly before giving a quick nod at the praise before taking a small sip of his water to help the dryness in his mouth. "Thank you sir. I'll set up store." He put the still uneaten crackers and water bottle into his locker before he actually began sweeping the store. He heard the familiar puff of smoke as Enid finally appeared in the store.

"How did your parents take the news?" The purple haired girl asked him before she flipped the closed sign to open. She took her familiar spot at the register as she kicked her boots on to the glass counter. 

"The only person my parents are mad at is Sunspot." Radicles spoke to her with a relaxed smile before he smiled at his clean shop since that was the first time he cleaned without using his powers. "This is surprisingly harder than what K.O makes it seem. Where is the little guy by the way?"

Carol walked through the door with a weak stressed smile before she pressed a kiss to Mr.Gar's cheek as the muscular man's cheeks burned bright red. "K.O won't be coming today! He caught a tummy bug yesterday from something he ate so he's staying with Judy." She spoke to them carefully as he looked at her phone just in case she received a text from her son's babysitter. 

"Then I expect you two to work double today to make up for his absence. The shop better run twice as fast." Mr.Gar barked out to them as Enid nodded at his strictness before Radicles swallowed down nervously before raising his voice in protest.

"I don't think the extra stress would be good for the baby." Radicles spoke to him loudly as he watched the older man's eyes practically bulge out of his head but instead of the normal anger it looked almost petrified.

"What baby?" Carol spoke to him gently as her eyes drifted to Enid before she shook the thought out of her head since she knew it wasn't possible.

"My baby." He didn't want to say that he was pregnant yet but he didn't know if he could handle the extra work. Radicles spoke to them as his voice trembled underneath their concerned stares before he could swear that he could see their eyes grow wider.

"What!" The older two spoke to him as he forced himself to look at the floor instead of at their worried faces.

"I'm pregnant!" Radicles blurted out as he swallowed down his nerves before he felt Mr.Gar help him into the registers chair while Carol began looking him up and down like a mother hen.


	5. A Picture Of Daylight

The blue alien was almost impressed with how well they had taken the news that he was pregnant but what he didn't expect for them to start watching him like a hawk when he worked. Almost a full two months had passed since he had told them and taken his test and he was almost unable to work since each time he tried he was either put on to the register or had whatever he was working on taken away from him. Even though he did enjoy the fact that he didn't have to fight the Boxmore robots anymore. Radicles picked up one of the boxes of chips that he made sure was under twenty five pounds as he attempted to line the front shelf of the store before it was suddenly ripped out of his hands by K.O who quickly and neatly covered the shelf in the bags. 

"Rad you can't work yourself too hard!" K.O spoke to him quickly as he helped him back to the register seat before watching him carefully. "You could have hurt yourself or the baby!" He whined to him carefully before hugging him without his usual amount of strength that was stored in his young body.

"I know homie but I'm going crazy! I want to help around the store and actually do something instead of sitting all the time." The older teen ruffled his hair before hearing the bell of the automatic door which made him perk up since he could finally help someone. He quickly looked towards the door before he felt himself physically become sick once he saw his ex-boyfriend step into the store along with the girl he was cheated on with. His eyes narrowed slightly before he sighed in relief before he saw someone else walk into the store followed behind them, even though he could see their face from the baggy hoodie that they were wearing, he knew they would stop the superheroes from starting anything. 

"Welcome to Gar's Bodega." Radicles spoke to the usual greeting before he could see Sunspot look him up and down with a smirk. He gritted his teeth as he felt his antennae droop before he watched the two begin to laugh while whispering to each other.

"It's good to see you again Rad. I'm surprised you're still working here after what you did to us. I was sure that your boss was going to fire you on to the spot once he walked in." Sunsport smiled at him as he leaned against the countertop before flicking the blue alien's antennae which made him yelp out in pain. Charmer snickered into her hand before she began exploring the chip aisle before nearly knocking half the merch onto the floor as he ran her hand over the bags.

Radicles couldn't help but growl when he saw that she only picked up one of the many bags she had knocked off before she walked to where her boyfriend stood. She placed it down on the counter along with a pack of mint gum which made him swallow down nervously since he could barely stand the smell of it.

"I'm rather glad we've broken up. You've gotten fat since the last time I saw you. Or are you actually pregnant? I really don't think it's mine if you are pregnant. " The X-Tian opened his mouth to finally snap at him at the comment about his weight before he heard the armored hero cry out in pain. "Oh Cob!" The other quickly grabbed his side before pulling away revealing the fact that he was bleeding from a small stab wound. "You damn stupid bitch! What sort of traps do you have in this fucking store?"

Radicles could hear him curse louder as he attempted to cover K.O's ears before the chips and gum were abandoned as he was helped out of the store by his girlfriend. "Yes I am pregnant for your information! It will never be your kid though! It's mine and mine alone!" He called out to him angrily before he could feel a pair of eyes on him.

The hooded man's elbow was covered in blood and he could see the resemblance of a spike before the black hoodie quickly covered it up. He placed a drink carrier filled to the brim with slushie cups for him to scan.

"Radicles quickly felt his cheeks flush as he began ringing up the strange man in front of him. "Your total will be fourteen technos for the seven slushies." His voice cracked as he held out his hands for cash or card before he felt something cold and metal touch the palm of his hand. He jolted quickly before he saw the familiar sheen of white metallic claws before he stared up at red eyes and green haired that peeked out of the hoodie. "Raymond!"

The robotic teen quickly slushed him before he watched the K.O trying his best to fix the chip display to make sure that he wasn't paying attention. He looked around the empty store before staring down at him once again. "Yes it's me Raymond. I didn't expect anyone to find out it was me." He scoffed at him before rolling his eyes as he gave him the money from his hand. "I can understand now why you haven't been fighting my siblings much to the dismay of my father." 

Radicles felt himself pale at his words as he wrapped an overprotective arm around the nearly nonexistent baby bump. "Don't worry I'm not going to harm you or it. I am a villain but I have standards. I'm also not going to tell anyone about this either." He couldn't believe Raymond's words before he looked at him with a frown. "Why don't we go somewhere private so we can talk? We can also keep the plaza in view so you can have a little more comfort." 

The blue alien sighed before he nodded at the robotic teen in front of him. "K.O I'm going on break! Wake up Enid if there's trouble in the store." He called out to the young boy who seemed almost excited to be working by himself for a short while. He cracked his back with a soft groan as he walked out of the bodega while keeping a close eye on the still completely covered robot.

Raymond sat down underneath one of the more far away trees from the plaza before patting the area next to him for the blue alien to sit down next to him. "I don't bite." He could help but keep the tease from his voice as he flashed his sharp teeth up at him in the form of a mock smile. 

Radicles hesitantly sat down in front of him before he watched the robot roll up his sleeves exposing the blood on one of his spiked arms. "Why did you stab him? I thought you like having me upset" He was shocked at the fact that his sworn enemy had willingly stabbed his ex before one of the slushies was placed into his hands. 

"I only like it when I'm the one making you upset. Drink up, I didn't poison it." Raymond spoke to him plainly as he began drinking from his own slushie even though he couldn't taste it. He watched the blue alien take a small sip of the green slushie before he took another sip of his blue drink. "He was an asshole by the way and I just wanted to make him shut up." He couldn't help but keep a small smile on his face as he wiped his spike clean on the inside of his hoodie.

"Are you really going to keep the fact that I'm pregnant a secret or are you going to tell your dad once you get back to your factory?" Radicles couldn't help but shake at the thought of the Boxmore attacks becoming progressively worse when they found that he was carrying. "What are you even doing here?"

"Cob no. I plan to keep it between us. He would just make everything worse for the plaza once he realized that someone who was working for Gar was making a tiny hero." Raymond couldn't help but keep the soft chuckle from his voice before his smile grew kinder. "When my daddy and my step father try to come up with a new way to destroy your plaza. They sometimes get snappy at us so I usually buy them slushies to make my sister and my brothers happy. Even though we can't eat they still enjoy tasting things. " 

Radicles snorted at his answer as he watched the robot quickly glare at him, which lacked the usual venom. "That's so corny Ray." He smirked at him before the robot began laughing with him. "Why did you buy me a drink then?"

"Your right it is rather corny but it does make them happy." Raymond slowly stopped laughing as he placed the drinks carrier down next to him. "I had bought it for Ernesto but I forgot he didn't enjoy sweet things." He began messing around with his finger joints before staring down at the older teen. "Could I feel your stomach?" He spoke to him awkwardly which lacked the zeal his voice usually carried. 

"What? Why would you want to do that?" Radicles quickly stared up at his cheeks flushed purple before he looked away from the robot. "Fine you can touch it but if you think about doing anything else I'll..." The threat quickly fell flat as he felt a cold but gentle hand touch his still flat stomach. 

"I just want to feel it. It's strange to see life growing inside of another person but it's nice...." Raymond smiled down at him before he quickly pulled his hand away to fix his hoodie to keep his face covered. "Has Drupe found out yet? She has been dying to make a maternity line for her fashion show and photo shoots." He tried to change the topic as he took another short sip of his slushie which stained his tongue an almost obnoxious blue. 

"No. I'm waiting till I'm further along so I don't lose the baby. It's so fragile that I could miscarry it just in the first three months if I'm not safe. I'm being as careful as I can though but I'm so nervous that I'll do something wrong and then I'll lose them." Radicles couldn't stop the words that were coming out of his month since he finally found a person to vent to that didn't make him feel like a child or that he was just blowing it out of portions. Even if the person he was talking to was one of the bad guys who fought his friends daily. "I'm just so scared." He sighed out quietly as he took a small sip of his neon green slushie.

Raymond gently grabbed his hand between his sharp metal claws before gently squeezing him as he tried not to hurt him. "Maybe I can convince my father not to attack you next month. He'll probably think I'm being lazy but he will stop attacking you. That should help with your any problem right?" He couldn't help but try and comfort him to help him as he rubbed small circles into his knuckles.

"You would do that for me? Thank you" Radicles stared up at him with a shaky smile before he could feel tears fall down his cheeks. He didn't expect him to try and convince his father to stop the attacks but know that he knew that he didn't have anything to worry about. He quickly tried to wipe them away before he felt the chill of metal touch his cheeks. 

"It's fine. You don't have to thank me since you saved my ass when your little friends tried to attack me after you threw up on me before I helped you into your store." Raymond quickly stood up before picking up his drinks to make sure that they weren't melting just yet. The robotic teen gently picked up the X-Tian man before dusting himself clean from the grass. "I'll see you later. We can talk again if you want?" He spoke to him before scribbling down his phone number on to the styrofoam cup that the blue alien was holding.

"I will since I need someone to actually listen to me. Next time you attack just try and find me but don't even show yourself to K.O and Enid." Radicles waved goodbye to him weakly before he smiled down at the neat scrawl. He began walking down the hill and towards Fitness Dojo since he knew that it was close to the time for his lamaze class but he couldn't keep the smile off his face.


	6. A Waiting Breath

As soon as Radicles stepped through the dojo's door he was greeted with a warm and gentle hug from Carol as he was helped on to the blue tatami. He sat down onto the cold mat before keeping his drink close to his side so he wouldn't lose Raymond's phone number.

"You're early Rad. The ladies went out for lunch so you can help me set up if you want or you can relax while we wait." The older woman smiled at him before she began grabbing a yoga mat for him to sit on to be more comfortable. Her eyes drifted down to his cup before she squinted her eyes down at the messy number. "Did someone hit on you while you were working? I didn't think you would rebound that quick!" Her smile grew once she saw that his cheeks darkened as he took a small sip of slushie.

"No!" The blue alien blurted out quickly before he moved himself on to the yoga mat, moving closer to Carol. "He just bought an extra drink and he gave me it." He wasn't lying but he also couldn't tell the full truth of what happened. "He also dealt with my ex for me..." His voice was caught in his throat almost like it was trying to force him to keep how the robot actually handled his ex and who he was actually talking about. He rubbed his neck awkwardly as he could still recall the look of agony that was on Sunsports face along with the blood covered spike. "At first he seemed like a villain but he was actually nice.." He could feel his face flush darker since he was describing the older teen like he was crushing on him.

"He sounds like one hell of a guy! I'm sure Gladys is going to ask you if he has an older brother or sister. She probably ask if his dad or mom single too just incase." Carol sat down next in front of him before crossing her legs like he did. "Are you nervous?" Her voice was calm as she took a deep breath in and out. "I was nervous too when I was first pregnant and it's completely normal." She placed her hands on her knees before giving him a calming smile.

"A little but it's getting better but I wish I could stop being babied at work. Was your morning sickness bad? I'm rarely having any but I can't stand the smell of mint." Radicles sighed out to her softly as he began mimicking the same deep breathes that she was taking. He placed his hands on to his knees just like she did before he relaxed in the quiet building.

"My morning sickness lasted throughout the entire pregnancy and when K.O kicked I thought I was going to puke out my kidneys. He also wasn't a gentle baby either; he gave my doctor a bruise during one of my ultrasounds. That is one of the many reasons I gave him the name K.O. He could knock someone out with a single punch if he actually tried." Carol spoke to the X-Tian carefully as he watched him nervously look down at his stomach and back up to her. "I'm sure that your little one isn't going to be as bad as he was. Now what did your jerk of an ex say?" She quickly tried to ease his stress before cracking him a nervous smile as she tried to change the topic.

"He told me that I was fat." The older teen frowned before he looked down at himself and instead of his close friend's mother. Then he asked if I was really pregnant then he said he 'I really don't think it's mine if you are pregnant." He could feel himself become angrier before he crossed his arms over his chest. "This is never going to be his child though. It's only going to be my baby." He watched her smile at his words before her eyes drifted to his cup before slowly rising in surprise.

"Does your powers depend on your feelings?" He opened her mouth to tell her no before his eyes drifted to his cup that was floating just above his eye level while surrounded by his levitation beam. He quickly snatched it out of the air before protectively pulling it into his chest to make sure it wouldn't float away from him. 

"My mom did say that my powers would have a mind of their own during my pregnancy." Radicles couldn't help but try and keep the empty styrofoam cup close so he couldn't lose it. "I didn't think it would happen so soon though." He swallowed down nervously before he placed the cup down between his legs, very glad that his stomach was still small enough for him to keep things between his legs. 

"It's fine kiddo." Carol stretched with a smile before hearing the ringing of the dojo door bell as her friends slash students walked in through the door. "Ladies say hello to my latest student! He's K.O's friend and he's taking part of our lamaze and yoga class." She spoke to them with a smile before he was nearly crushed with three firm hugs from the older women. 

"You must be a good boyfriend if you're taking this for your girlfriend to help her when she's farther along." Radicles froze up at Gertie's comment before he coughed awkwardly as he pressed a handle to his stomach. 

"It's actually for me. I'm pregnant." When he said those words he watched their eyes go wide before all three older women smiled down at him happily. They sat down next to him while giving him a mixture of a kind but pitying smile. He took a deep breath to steady himself before he rested his hands on his stomach to protect it from any unwanted touches. 

"Are you with someone or did the dad decide to disappear?" Gertie gently patted his thighs before focusing on her own breathing. "If you are single I understand. My husband...My ex husband just disappeared when I became pregnant." She could almost feel him shake underneath her touch before he finally gritted out his words.

"Their dad isn't in the picture because he decided to cheat on me. I hope the next time I see Sunspot he falls on his face." Radicles snarled out the words angrily before he heard one of the wooden planks next to the door slammed just above Carol's head make the women yelp. "I'm sorry! I can't control!" He couldn't keep the horror out of his voice as his eyes drifted to the hole in the wall before he felt tears of shame drift down his cheeks. 

"It's fine kiddo! Please don't cry! It will happen and I can ask Mr.Gar to fix it. Everything is okay. Just deep breaths." The blonde woman tried to gently calm him down before another emotionally outburst could cause more damage to her studio.

All Radicles could do was attempt to take even breathes before he stared down at the messy scrawl that was scratched into his cup that made a weak smile appear on his face as the tears slowly dripped down his cheeks. "I'm okay. I'm okay." He repeated to himself as he rubbed small circles into his stomach which finally seemed to calm him down. The tears still seemed to drip down his face but they looked like they were slowly drying up.

"Now ladies and Rad it's time to work on breathing techniques. When under stress your body will tighten your muscles and make it much harder for you to breath. This is called tachypnea and it will make your chest tighter." Carol spoke to them calmly as she took a deep breath for four seconds before holding it for seven seconds. She exhaled slowly after eight before her shoulders began relaxing after her head was nearly cleaved off. "The method I'm demonstrating is called four-seven-eight breathing. It helps reduce anxiety."

Radicles followed her breathing pattern carefully as he felt himself finally starting to relax full as his shoulders loosened up. He could feel his jaw unclench before as he heard the clock tick quietly in his ears as the seconds moved slowly forward. 

After almost thirty full minutes of breathing he heard Carol began speaking again as he stared at her for her next command. "We will work on breathing exercises this week but starting next week we will be focusing on relieving pain."

The blue alien nodded carefully as he attempted to stand on shaking legs since he hadn't paid attention to the fact that his lower half had fallen asleep from lack of movement. "So whose number is written on your cup? I thought it was your little baby daddy at first but I think it's someone else. You've been clinging to it throughout the session so whoever gave it to you must be important. " Ginger nudged him gently before giving him a knowing wink which made him roll his eyes.

"It's just a...friend...He stopped my dumbass of an ex from bothering me." He quickly caught himself from saying another swear since he didn't know if he was allowed to curse in front of the older women. The X-Tian wondered to himself if he could call the villain his friend but he heard the old woman chuckle to herself. 

"They don't stay friends forever if they make you that happy. I saw you smiling constantly at the number when you practiced your breathing. I've been around the block and I know things that you don't so listen to me." Ginger spoke to him while staring up at the taller but younger man. Her curly white hair bounced as she walked towards the door before giving him a small smile. "Listen to me though. I might seem like a crazy old lady but I know what will happen." She called out to him before the door was shut. 

Radicles tilted his head at her strange words before shaking his head since he just thought that she was just talking nonsense. He grabbed his phone from his back pocket as he waved goodbye to Carol before heading back to the bodega to actually have his lunch break. He began typing Raymond's number into his phone with a smile before sending him a quick text that simple read _I'm at work still but I'll text you once I'm done_. He breathed a sigh of relief once he stepped through the doors and towards the break room since he could feel his life slowly getting better.


	7. A Text Away

Once Radicles had left the break room he sat down at the cash register before pulling out his phone as he began placing Raymond into his contacts. He bit the inside of his cheek as he tried to come up with a name that would keep his identity hidden if someone needed to use his phone. He thought for a minute before finally deciding on the nickname two left feet. His eyes drifted around the empty store while paying close attention to the clock in front of him. On days that the Boxmore robots didn't attack they were allowed to leave at five but on days the plaza was wrecked they were forced to stay till eight. _I think I might be able to text you a little sooner than waiting till after work. It's Rad by the way just in case you forgot who you gave your number too._ He sent the text quickly before hearing Enid cough to get his attention, turning off his phone quickly to hide the message. He quickly crumpled the styrofoam cup in his hands while successful smudging the number just incase someone tried to find out who he was talking to

"So K.O told me you got a boyfriend while I was on break? He wouldn't stop talking about you leaving with a hooded figure." The purple haired girl smiled down at him as she sat down next to him while resting her feet on the glass counter. "He also said your ex was in the store. If you woke me I would have dealt with him for you dweeb." She spoke to him nonchalantly as she nudged his arm gentle.

The X-Tian teen swallowed thickly as he felt his cheeks flush purple before he rolled his eyes, looking towards the door to distract himself. "Someone dealt with him for me. He isn't my boyfriend. He's just a...friend." He paused as he still wondered if it was okay for him to think that the robot could be considered his friend. "He took care of my ex and I don't think he's going to step through the door again."

The ninja raised her eyebrow before she poked his cheek gently as she forced him to look at her. "He also said you were gone for nearly an one hour and that he had to clean up blood from the floor with Mr.Gar." Her voice even though lacking concern was still hiding the fact that she was still worried about who he was talking to.

"Fine if you really want to know the guy who saved me stabbed Sunspot. Sunny called me a bitch so he deserved it." The blue alien could hear her sputter before he was suddenly lifted out of his chair before being closely examined to make sure that he wasn't bleeding or hurt in any way possible.

"And you still went with the guy! He could have hurt you while you were alone with him! He could have killed you! You could have been poisoned!" Enid could barely keep the rage from her voice and even when it was proven that he wasn't injured she still wasn't relaxing. "What were you thinking?" She helped him sit down once again before she gave him a glance to make sure that he was comfortable. 

"Sunspot would have hurt me and the baby more than he would have! The asshole flicked my antenna before he was stopped!" Radicles snapped at her angrily before he crossed his arms over his chest before he began focusing on his breathing to keep himself calm. "He wouldn't have poisoned his family since he bought drinks for them and for himself!" He didn't actually know that the drinks were poisoned since they were robotic but he actually felt better after his drink then before. His antenna was standing straight up as he watched the container of lightening sauce hover over the table before it was slammed down with an echo.

The purple haired down swallowed down nervously before she attempted to calm him down to make sure that she wouldn't lose her head. "Just breath. I'll calm down once you calm down." Her voice shook slightly once he was finally calmed down enough not to make a mess of the store. 

"He wasn't actually a bad guy though. He let me talk about my emotions and he didn't even judge me for them. He was actually gentle when he touched my bump too. Even if he couldn't feel anything since I'm only a few weeks along. His hands were ice cold though." The green haired alien placed his hand on his stomach as he traced the spot where Radicles had touched him before he saw Enid's eyes grow wider. "Yes I actually allowed him to touch my stomach since he asked before he even tried to touch me." The people who knew that he was pregnant had started to try and touch his stomach and he swatted most of their hands away each time. 

The purple haired teen quickly looked down at the ground once her cheeks flushed bright red since she had gotten smacked with a bag of chips last time she tried to touch him. "So did you ask him to be your baby daddy then? You make him sound dreamy." Sarcasm laced her words as she gently made fun of the fact that it sounded like he was in love with someone. Enid couldn't help but tease him as she gave him a smirk.

"Shut up E." Radicles spoke to Enid while using her girlfriend's nickname for her as he watched her cheeks heat up. "What's wrong E?" He teased the letter out before he was gentle whacked in the face with one of the magazines that they kept near the register. He laughed with a small smile before he suddenly yelped underneath his breath since one of the hits had actually hurt him.

"Okay I'll stop! Just stop saying that! Only she is allowed to call me that" The teen spoke to her friend before watching him rub his nose with his fingers. "I didn't hurt you right?" She couldn't keep the worry from her voice since she was scared of the possible wraith that Mr.Gar would inflict on her if she did injure him.

"No you did it but it's sore now." The older blue teen spoke to her before he pulled his hand away revealing a small drop of his dark purple blood. "I think you cut me with one of the edges though." He gagged quietly at the coppery smell before he practically reached over her to grab their new trash can before he began attempting out his lunch into it. "I found a new smell I can't stand...Metal...or copper but in not risking another session to see if it's only one metal." His voice came out as a horse whisper between his gags and dry heaving. After a few minutes of almost constant gagging he placed the trash can down next to him just in case he was sick again.

Enid had grabbed a bandage from the first aid kit along with a sports drink to rinse his mouth out with. She gently angled his chin up to look at her before she pressed the sticky plaster to his nose as she wiped the small blood droplets that had nearly dried to the tip of his nose. "So we have mint, metal, and mango on your trigger list?" Her voice was kind as she handed him a napkin before rubbing his shoulder. "So we have the three m's causing you problems?"

He could barely keep his head up as he nodded before swallowing down a sip of the melon flavored sports drink as he caught his breath. "Yes and I'm going to punch someone if they even get close to me with any of those things." He growled out to himself angrily before rubbing his stomach to help ease with the feeling of nausea that was left inside of his body. "Tell Mr.Gar I left early. I'm going to take a nap in my van before I go home." He spoke to her firmly before he stood up as he stared at the clock as he watched it flash four thirty.

When he was outside he wiped the mascara from his cheeks that was left from his crying session in the dojo and from his dry heaving. He dabbed at the runny makeup as he opened up his van door he eased himself into the backseat as he pulled out his phone to see if Raymond had texted him while he did his short work.

 _How could I forget that you have my number. That's good since I do want to continue our talk from earlier. I do have to make it quick though since my father wants me to help Ernesto cook dinner for him and my step father. I'm the only one who can actually make something safe for humans to eat so I'm usually in charge of helping._ Radicles smiled down at the text since it was the opposite of quick and was in fact more so long winded. 

_Then you're going to be glad that I threw up since I'm able to text you back quickly. I might take a nap soon since that exhausted me/i > It was a quick message but he couldn't help but smile at his phone as he slowly shut his eyes as he attempted to take a short nap. His phone was resting on his chest peacefully before he jolted at the vibration of it. _

__I'm not happy you got sick but I am quite glad that we can talk sooner and much more safer. The others really don't care about what I do while I cook so I'm able to text you safely._ He could see the faint smile on Raymond's face as he typed out his words as he cooked a simple meal for his fathers. He closed his eyes slowly before pulling the cold phone case closer to his chest. His eyes could barely focus before he sent him a short but sweet text. _

__That's good to know since I don't want you to be restarted just from talking to me._ He yawned quietly as he expected him to take at least a few minutes to respond. He froze up quickly as he felt it go off in his hands only after a few seconds._

__I would never let that happen since I don't want to lose my only friend. You are the only person who didn't tease me about my father and daddys' problems with work that make my life a pain._ The blue alien smile grew wider at the text since he could feel a small bubble in his chest at being called his friend. He could feel his energy slowly return to him as he tried to text him back. _

__That was so corny dude. I'm going to start driving home soon so I might not be able to text you for a while._ It was a quick text but he just wanted to go home and lie down on his bed so he could relax and practice his breathing exercises. _

__Stay safe. Ernesto is going to burn the factory down so I have to help._ He chuckled to himself as he could actually see the robot trying to keep his family calm as he tried to put out a possible fire on their stove._

_The X-Tian turned off his phone before he started his van as he began driving out of the plaza to the near empty road that he usually drove on since most people had other ways to get to Lakewood plaza. He rested his hand on his stomach before quietly humming to himself as he focused on the road and his new friendship._


	8. Cold To The Touch

Almost a week had passed since their conversation and Radicles had kept their text conversations short but sweet so he wouldn't draw suspicion to himself. He smiled down at the last text that the robot sent him in the morning which was only _I'll see you later today. My father is pissed and we need another slushie day_. He rolled his eyes as he relaxed in the back seat of his van since he had arrived earlier then usual to work since he wanted a few extra minutes of relaxation.

The blue alien began writing out his reply with a smile before pausing at his wording as he began carefully reading it out loud. "Can't wait to see you soon." He mumbled the words carefully under his breath, deleting the first three words before he sent it. He laid down in the back as he watched the sun slowly and steadily rise through the window. The sky was clear and the only sound was the birds chirping as they began waking up. It was a perfect day and nothing could destroy it in his eyes. Once he felt his phone signaling that he had to head into work before he rubbed at a knot in his back.

He groaned in slight pain as he walked into the bodega and passed Mr.Gar who was already trying to make the store look presentable. He gave a brief nod of recognition at his boss before he stepped into the break room to get away from prying eyes. His pocket vibrated as he closed the door to give himself more privacy. He quickly opened the message from Raymond with a frown. 

_There is going to be a change in plans slugger. I won't be able to see you later._ An overwhelming feeling of dread filled his chest as his eyes drifted over the message before he sighed quietly since that was one of the smaller highlights of his work day. He fixed his white tank top which covered his stomach that he wore with his normal uniform before he stepped out of the break room. He walked slowly to register as he watched the older man flip the sign to open. He watched the first customers as he felt Enid tap his shoulder in her usual cloud of smoke. 

"What is your little friend up today? Do you have something planned with him later?" The purple haired girl couldn't keep the tease out of her voice as she leaned against the counter. They watched K.O run into the store with his normal greeting before he picked up one of the boxes on the floor.

"We did but I think one of his dads is upset since he was going to come in and buy more slushies again but he said that his plans had changed..." Radicles mumbled out as he felt himself physically droop since he had been looking forward to talking to him in person instead of through text. He pulled out his phone as he read the text over and over again while wondering what had happened to his friend. He jolted upwards as he heard and saw the familiar flashing of the warning sirens which usually meant that one of the Boxmore robots had attacked them. 

"Oh Cob! I thought we were going to have an easy day. Rad go to Carol and stay there while we deal with these dorks! That place rarely gets destroyed." Enid quickly spoke to him as he was practically shoved out of the store. Her breath was caught in her throat as she heard the slam of metal fill the empty plaza as the smoke filled the air. She grabbed K.O as they took up a protective stance in front of the store as they watched their friend closely. 

Radicles kept his head down low as he wrapped his arm over his stomach protectively as he tried to walk over to the dojo to not drag attention to himself. Even though he was only one on the walkway and that he was technically the only alien that worked at the plaza. He swallowed thickly as he heard the familiar taunting of the robots, but he could hear the subtle hopelessness on the green robotic teen's voice. He quietly wondered to himself if the robot was just as heartbroken at the fact that they weren't able to take in person again.

"It looks like one of the Lakewood losers is finally running from a fight. Though I do find it funnier when they run!" Darrell's voice cut through his train of thoughts as he heard the familiar buzz as his lazer canon began charging. He felt his feet freeze in place in fear as he watched the world seem to slow down. He watched K.O and Enid try to push him out of the way but it was already too late as he watched the green laser being fired at him, it seemed to be the only thing moving at a fast speed. He watched Raymond's mouth open in a silent yell while his eyes widened in horror.

The X-Tian braced for impact and for the unbearable pain as he wrapped his arms around his stomach tight almost like he was going to protect the small baby inside of him with his life. He forced his eyes shut to brace himself for the agony that he couldn't avoid since he felt his legs freeze in fear. He expected to feel a wave of pain but instead he felt the rushing of cool wind along with the icy cold touch of metal against his bare arms. He opened his eyes before he saw the flash bright green in his eyes followed by a loud scream of pain.

Raymond didn't mean to use his superspeed in front of his family but he didn't want his friend to be injured by his brother's attack so he forced his body to move. He had grabbed the muscular alien in his arms before pushing him out of harm's way as fast his body would allow himself to move. The cry of pain left his lips in surprise as he clutched his arm or where his canon would have been as he gritted his teeth as he saw the sparkings of exposed wires as oil dripped down. "Run....Get away from me...Just run..." He couldn't help but whisper out his words as he shoved the blue alien towards Carol's dojo. 

Radicles opened his mouth to speak before he gave a quick but small nod as he watched the evil robot dart back to his family who was yelling and screaming at his choice to save the hero. He could see Enid and K.O exchange confused but relieved looks as he slammed the dojo door open and closed as he relaxed against the wall to catch his breath. He rubbed small circles into his stomach before he felt Carol sit next to him. 

"Are you okay kiddo? You didn't get hit did you?" The older motherly woman asked him worriedly before he relaxed into her gentle touch as he tried to calm down. He quickly swallowed down his fears and tried to come up with something to say. 

"I think we're both okay. I didn't get hit because of Raymond. I didn't know why he did that!" The X-Tian couldn't keep the confusion out of his voice since he didn't even know why the robot had decided to risk his own life to protect them since he didn't think the robot had cared about him enough. 

"Maybe his programming failed? Those rust buckets sometimes fail and it was probably a spasm in his circuits." The blonde woman tried to give him possible answers to his questions as she began helping him walk to the mat and away from the windows just in case the glass broke from the fighting and arguing outside. Even with her attempts to keep him distracted from the mini battle going on outside he couldn't help but watch the scene for any sign of Raymond or his destruction. 

"I think I'm going to take a nap in my van once the fights over...I...I need a break." Radicles spoke to her quietly as he finally turned his eyes away from the battle once he realized he wouldn't be able to see the robotic teen fighting after about thirty seconds of staring. He sat down on the styrofoam mat as he crossed his legs as he prepared himself to do his breathing exercises. He began taking deep breaths in and out quietly as he attempted to tune out the screams of pain while he brought his hands to his stomach as he meditated quietly. 

Once he was sure that the fight had ended he slowly stood up from the mat while pulling down his tank top that rode up his stomach. He slowly stepped outside before being enveloped into a tight and warm hug from his friends. He took a deep breath as he listened to then blubber about he worried they were for him as he pulled them tighter to his warm body. 

"Why did Raymundo do that?" He couldn't come up with a viable answer before he could hear Carol's voice call out from the dojo. He breathed a sigh of relief once he heard the word glitch as he watched his friends nod in understanding. "I guess Lord Buttman still needs to work on his robots!"

"Yeah he does buddy! Me and the little homie are alright. I promise you two but I'm exhausted." He couldn't help but yawn as he let go of them while gently ruffling the scratched up boy's hair as he wiped the blood off of Enid's cheek. "I'm going to take a nap in my van. Tell Mr.Gar where I am so he doesn't freak out." He spoke to them gently before he gave them another quick but short hug. He pulled away quickly as he practically walked as fast as he could before he sat down in the back of the van while closing the back door with a quiet slam. He laid down on his back while grabbing one of the spare blankets from one of his hidden compartments before wrapping it around himself tightly. 

The blue alien Harley shut his eyes once he heard a loud knock on the door followed by a nervous cough. "Come in it's open." He thought it was K.O coming in to give him another hug or bring him a snack but he didn't think he would see a grey hoodie as a hooded figure slowly limped into the back of his van while opening the door. His eyes darted nervously to one of the one since he didn't know who was in the van with him. He opened his mouth to speak before the door was slammed shut as he watched the tall hooded man's back to see what he would do.

"I was nearly caught today Rad...I'm glad that my brother and sister believed my fake story that my programming glitched. I just..just didn't want to let you get hurt." Raymond spoke to him gently as he pulled down his hoodie as he stared down at the blue alien. His face was clearly dent and his right eye was clearly missing but he looked almost perfect but he had small stress bags under his eyes "I tried to tell coach to take a break but that just made him want to attack the plaza even more. I'm...I'm so sorry.." He bowed his head in shame before he was brought into a gentle hug.

Radicles had moved closer to him as he talked before he hugged him as gently as he could so he wouldn't hurt each other. "It's fine. You tried your best and we owe you." He bought the clawed hand to his covered stomach as he was hugged back. 

"Oh thank Cob..." He could feel Raymond whisper quietly into his shoulder as he pulled away from his gentle touch before he yawned. "Do you want to join me for a nap? I don't think you can go back home right now since the plaza is crowded so you don't draw attention. I think I need a long cuddle session too." He spoke to him with a smile as he patted the empty side to his left as he watched the other teen's face heat up. "We are just cuddling between friends." He spoke to him with a chuckle before he watched the robot nod. 

Raymond moved next to him slowly before wrapping his arm around the X-Tian as he watched the alien teen snuggle into his chest. He relaxed into his gentle and quiet touch before pulling the purple blanket around them tightly as he pulled his hoodie around his face to keep his face hidden just in case someone wanted to talk to Radicles. He couldn't help but pull him closer as he felt the warmth radiate off his body which relaxed his core.


End file.
